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Sufi Heart with Omid Safi

by Be Here Now Network

The Sufi Heart podcast with Omid Safi features teachings and stories about a sacred tradition of love, one that manifests outwardly as justice and inwardly as tenderness. Drawing primarily on the wisdom of the Islamic tradition as well as the legacies of the Civil Rights movements and other wisdom teachings, Omid invites you to a meditation on the transformative power of love and recalling the necessity of linking healing our own hearts with healing the world. Omid Safi is a teacher in the Islamic mystical tradition of Radical Love, and serves as a professor of Islamic studies at Duke University. Omid’s passion for teaching has been recognized by his ten nominations for Professor of the Year awards. Omid has published extensively on the foundational sources of Islam and Sufism. His Memories of Muhammad is an award-winning biography of the Prophet Muhammad. His most recent book is <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300248616/radical-love/" rel="noopener norefe

From the show's RSS feed, refreshed Sep 12, 2026. Source feed.

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Episodes

  1. Ep. 40 - The Thread Between Traditions with Joshua Michael Schrei

    Omid Safi and mythology expert Joshua Michael Schrei explore the shared threads of spiritual traditions, discussing ecstasy, discernment, and the courage to cultivate a heart that becomes a refuge for others. This episode was originally recorded for The Emerald, a podcast that explores the human...

  2. Ep. 39 - The Womb of Love: Feminine Wisdom & Embodied Islam with Willow Brook

    Focusing on the feminine side of religion, Omid Safi and Willow Brook express how divine love and connection transcend all binaries. This episode was originally recorded for the Wild Heart Podcast with Willow Brook - a podcast that explores divinity in daily life with themes of love, mysticism,...

  3. Ep. 38 -The Mystical Teachings of Ibn ‘Arabi

    Omid Safi discusses Sufi teachings from one of the greatest muslim mystics, an Andalusian sage named Ibn ‘Arabi. "When Ibn 'Arabi comes, he sits with all of himself. When he's listening, he listens with all of himself. When it's time to go, he gets up with all of himself. All of him is here, so I...

  4. Ep. 37 – The Path of Love, Harmony & Beauty

    Illuminating Hazrat Inayat Khan’s teachings on radical love, Omid Safi leads listeners down the Sufi path of love, harmony, and beauty. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on...

  5. Ep. 36 – Re-Enchanting the World with Joshua Michael Schrei

    Re-enchanting the world with God, the beloved, Omid Safi and teacher Joshua Michael Schrei explore the push-and-pull relationship we have with the divine. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best...

  6. Ep. 35 – Deepening Faith Through Inter-Spirituality with Mike Petrow and Drew Jackson

    Omid Safi sits down with Mike Petrow and Drew Jackson from The Center for Action and Contemplation, founded by Franciscan friar Richard Rohr, to explore how a unified approach to spirituality can deepen our faith. This podcast was originally published on the Everything Belongs Podcast, produced…

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  7. Ep. 34 – The Mystery of Love with James Cooke PhD

    Getting down to the basics of Sufism, James Cooke and Omid Safi discuss the mystery of love and our enmeshment with God. This time on the Sufi Heart podcast, Omid Safi and James Cooke discuss: Sufism and mystical Islam Getting closer to a divine reality Types of love within Sufism Recognizing…

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  8. Ep. 33 – When Religion Is A Stranger

    Exploring what it means to practice Islam in a world filled with evil, Omid Safi explains how strangeness can bring us back home to God. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this...

  9. Ep. 32 – Star Wars, Yoda & Sufism

    Omid Safi discusses how modern myths like Star Wars can connect us to Sufism and the mystery of the universe. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on Sufi Heart, Omid Safi has a...

  10. Ep. 31 – Hazrat Inayat Khan and the Sufi Path of Love

    Sharing insights from the path of love, Omid Safi discusses the teachings of Sufi philosopher, Hazrat Inayat Khan. Today’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode of Sufi Heart…

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  11. Ep. 30 – The Lover and The Beloved with Kelly Deutsch

    Examining how mysticism hides in plain sight, Omid Safi describes God as love, the lover, and the beloved with guest host Kelly Deutsch. This episode was originally recorded for the Spiritual Wanderlust Podcast, with Kelly Deutsch. Learn more about this series that explores the wild, untamed...

  12. Ep. 29 – "Islam, Iman, Ihsan", Love's Journey in Islamic Spirituality

    Pushing beyond the bare minimum of religiosity, Omid Safi inspires listeners to deepen their faith into an ecstatic adoration of God. Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow In…

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  13. Ep. 28 – Rumi and the Path of Radical Love with Taya Mâ

    In this interview from the 2023 Mystics Summit, Omid Safi joins Taya Ma for a conversation about Rumi, his main teachings, and how he’s situated on the wider Path of Radical Love. This interview is part of the 2023 Mystics Summit a free online event. For more information, please visit...

  14. Ep. 27 – The Rhythm of Expansion and Contraction

    Omid dives into the ocean of love, contemplating how the nature of the waves washing ashore and receding back mirrors the human experience. This special episode is from Sharon Salzberg's Living an Authentic Life Summit and is hosted by Andres Gonzalez from the Holistic Life Foundation. Lifetime...

  15. Ep. 26 – Spirituality and Conflict Transformation

    Omid returns with a timely and flowing discussion on the connection between spirituality and conflict transformation. Join Omid on a heart-centered and spiritually-focused educational tour of Turkey coming up in June 2023: Illuminated Tours - Turkey

  16. Ep. 25 – Spirituality of Seasons

    In this episode of Sufi Heart, Omid Safi discusses the spirituality of seasons. We learn to look at Islamic cultures for inspiration on attuning to the sanctity of nature. “We have gained a lot in terms of productivity, but we have also lost a lot in terms of the rhythm of our life, the…

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  17. Ep. 24 – Mary and Jesus: A Sufi Perspective on the Christmas Story

    Omid Safi offers us a sense of the significance of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and the sacred experience of Mary in the Islamic tradition.

  18. Ep. 23 – Lessons for the Heart: Remembering the Events of 9/11

    In this deeply personal episode of Sufi Heart, Omid Safi shares some lessons for the heart by remembering the events of 9/11, and reflects on how we can carry these teachings forward. This talk was originally recorded by: Hicksville Public Schools This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp.…

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  19. Ep. 22 – Spirituality and the Marketplace with Abdul-Rehman Malik

    Journalist, Abdhul-Rehman Malik, from This Being Human Podcast interviews Omid on the commercialization of spirituality, Rumi's Guest House, reframing emotions, and embracing radical love like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Abdul-Rehman Malik is an award-winning journalist, educator, and organizer.…

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  20. Ep. 21 – Anti-Racism As A Spiritual Practice with Simran Jeet Singh

    In this special episode, Sikh Activist, Simran Jeet Singh, joins Omid Safi for conversation exploring anti-racism as a spiritual practice. Recognized among TIME Magazine’s 16 people fighting for a more equal America, Simran Jeet Singh is Senior Adviser for Equity and Inclusion at YSC Consulting…

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  21. Ep. 20 – Love, Justice, and Tenderness with Ankhet Rumi

    Ankhet Rumi and Omid join together to explore embodying truth through teaching, fighting for social justice, the contemporary American Saints of the Freedom Movement, working with anger, & the divine Sufi poetry and wisdom of Rumi. Returning from a short hiatus, Omid is back with the Sufi Heart...

  22. Ep. 19 – Expanding Our Circle of Compassion

    Omid Safi shares wisdom on expanding our circle of compassion, redefining success, the dis-ease of busyness, and how love is synonymous with social justice.

  23. Ep. 18 – Listening, Suffering, and Rumi with Marilyn Shannon

    Omid Safi shares a conversation with Marilyn Shannon about listening from the heart, dealing with suffering as we face a pandemic, and the powerful wisdom of the poet Rumi.

  24. Ep. 17 – Finding Refuge in Love and Practice

    Speaking directly to the global crisis presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, Omid Safi offers a reflection on how we can find refuge in love and our spiritual practice even through the most difficult times of change.

  25. Ep. 16 - Fireside Chats with Rumi: Religious Pluralism, Prayer, and Presence

    Dr. Omid Safi continues to explore the teachings of Rumi, this time focusing on religious pluralism, the essentials for prayer, and returning to a state of presence.

  26. Ep. 15 – Fireside Chats with Rumi: Love, Suffering and Illumination

    Dr. Omid Safi begins a series of discussions around the teachings of Rumi that illuminates the path of our spiritual journey.

  27. Ep. 14 - Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

    Omid Safi offers a look at the life and teachings of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a civil rights hero who had a passion for serving God and mankind equally. Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-72), was one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century. Internationally...

  28. Ep. 13 – The Conference of the Birds part 2

    In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid concludes his exploration of the poem “The Conference of the Birds”. We look at the themes of Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar’s poem which represent our own spiritual journey and relationship with God. Be sure to listen to the first part of this story:...

  29. Ep. 12 – The Conference of the Birds

    In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid shares the celebrated literary masterpiece “The Conference of the Birds” from Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar.

  30. Ep. 10 – Finding Compassion Amid Chaos

    In the wake of the tragic shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dr. Omid Safi shares a reflection on responding to chaos with compassion and love.

  31. Ep. 9 – Mysticism in the Modern Age

    Omid Safi shares a conversation with Kate Green Tripp, from 1440 Multiversity, about engaging in mysticism and the path of love in the 21st century.

  32. Ep. 8 – Kharaqani, the Saint Who Breathed with God

    In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid explores the life and teachings of the early Sufi mystic Abu al-Hassan al-Kharaqani.

  33. Ep. 7 - Rekindling Our Tenderness

    Omid is invited by Taniya Hussain from the Beat Burnout Summit to talk about the practices that allow us to rekindle the love and tenderness that exists in each of us. Taniya Hussain is a Trauma Recovery & Stress Management Coach & Consultant and the host of the Beat Burnout Summit. Beat Burnout...

  34. Ep. 6 – Practice of Compassion

    Leslie Langbert joins Omid for a conversation about opening our heart to radical love with the practice of compassion. A licensed clinical social worker, Leslie Langbert has a background as a psychotherapist working with children, youth and adults, and has held leadership roles in the non-profit...

  35. Ep. 5 – A Practice of Love

    How can we develop a practice of love that starts with ourselves and extends into the world? This time on the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid looks at love as an action that is cultivated from the inside out and shares the sequence of practice necessary for extending our love equally into the world.

  36. Ep. 4 - Welcoming the Tranquil Soul Back to the Divine

    This week, Omid looks at how mystics of the Sufi tradition understood the path of love as something that brings us together into fellowship with one another, into communion with nature and unites us with the Divine. Find show notes and resources:...

  37. Ep. 3 – The Flame of Justice

    This week on the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid reflects on the teachings of social activist Vincent Harding and examines the way that love sparks the flame of justice within us. Fins show notes and resources here: https://beherenownetwork.com/sufi-heart-ep-3-flame-of-justice/ Vincent Harding, a...

  38. Ep. 2 – Sacredness of Love

    On this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid explores teachings from the Sufi tradition about the sacredness of love, transcending the ego and finding God’s presence in every moment. Find show notes and links: https://beherenownetwork.com/sufi-heart-ep-2-sacredness-of-love/

  39. Ep. 1 - The Path of Radical Love

    Omid reflects on the aspect of all encompassing love that distinguishes the Sufi tradition. He looks at exchange of love between ourselves and the divine that is celebrated in the beautiful teachings, stories and poems from the Sufi tradition and how this path can awaken us to the abundance of…

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Topics in this show

Click any topic to search every transcript on PodParley for moments someone mentioned it.

About this show

The Sufi Heart podcast with Omid Safi features teachings and stories about a sacred tradition of love, one that manifests outwardly as justice and inwardly as tenderness. Drawing primarily on the wisdom of the Islamic tradition as well as the legacies of the Civil Rights movements and other wisdom teachings, Omid invites you to a meditation on the transformative power of love and recalling the necessity of linking healing our own hearts with healing the world.

Omid Safi is a teacher in the Islamic mystical tradition of Radical Love, and serves as a professor of Islamic studies at Duke University. Omid’s passion for teaching has been recognized by his ten nominations for Professor of the Year awards.

Omid has published extensively on the foundational sources of Islam and Sufism. His Memories of Muhammad is an award-winning biography of the Prophet Muhammad. His most recent book is <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300248616/radical-love/" rel="noopener norefe

Hosted by

Be Here Now Network

Frequently asked questions

How many episodes does Sufi Heart with Omid Safi have?

Sufi Heart with Omid Safi has 40 episodes on PodParley. The most recent episode was published on March 19, 2026.

What is Sufi Heart with Omid Safi about?

The Sufi Heart podcast with Omid Safi features teachings and stories about a sacred tradition of love, one that manifests outwardly as justice and inwardly as tenderness. Drawing primarily on the wisdom of the Islamic tradition as well as the legacies of the Civil Rights movements and other wisdom...

How often does Sufi Heart with Omid Safi release new episodes?

Sufi Heart with Omid Safi publishes about every 71 days, based on its 40 episodes since August 2018.

Who hosts Sufi Heart with Omid Safi?

Sufi Heart with Omid Safi is created and hosted by Be Here Now Network.
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